spalckeayer



6 Sheets- Sheet I.

W. SPALOKHAVER. Paper- Fol iing Machine.

No. 223,457. A Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

NJ'ETERS PHOTO-LIINOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. n c.

6 Sheets-Shet 2. W. SPALCKHAVER. Paper-Folding Machine.

Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

INVENTUH.

@ V//QMM N. PETERS, PNDTOJJTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. O, c-

'NESSES.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. SPALOKHAVER. Paper-Folding Machine.

No. 223,457. Patented Jan. 13, 1 880.

INVENTDH.

B-Sh'eets-S'heet 4.

w. SPALOKHAVER. Paper-Folding Machine,

Patented Jan]. 13, I880.

INVENTOR. yqmwm WITNESSES -6 Sheets-Shpet 5.

W. SPALGKHAVER. Paper-Folding Machine.

No. 223,451. Patented Jam-13,1880.

Ill I INVENTICIH. I M

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WITNESSES. Mama/M 5Sheets'-Sheet 6. W. SPALGKHAVER. Paper-FoldingMachine.

No. 223,457. Pate ted 15m. 13, 1880.

WITNESSES.

45 tion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SPALGKHAVER, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO H E & 00., OF NEW YORK, N.Y.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,457, dated January13, 1880.

Application filed October 14, 1879. i

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, WILLIAM SPALCKHAVER, ofthe city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Folding Paper; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification.

i This invention relates to that class of paperfolding machines known asrotary-that is, such whose instrumentality for determining the line offolding is supported in a rota-ting carrier, whereby the machine isadapted to operate at a high rate of speed, and, when connected with aweb-perfectin g printing -machine, is capacitated to receive, fold, andde-.

liver the product thereof; and it relates more particularly to that kindof such rota-ting paper-folding machines in which the folding isaccomplished by an instrumentality supported by the rotating carrierthat seizes the paper at the folding-line and carries it thereby be- 2 5tween the surface of the carrier anda doubling-surface.

The invention consists, mainly, in rocking fold determining forks thatautomatically pierce, seize, and hold the paper along the line of itsultimate folding, and thus carry that portion of the paper between twoadjacent surfaces, whereby the paper is doubled, the said forks thenwithdrawing to release the paperand permit its further folding ordelivery from 5 the machine.

The invention also embodies various combinations of saidfold-determining forks with other cooperating devices, an arrangement ofthem for accomplishing two parallel folds, and constructions andcombinations of parts too fully hereinafter pointed out to need furtherpreliminary description.

In the drawings illustrating these improvements, Figure 1 represents aright-side eleva- Fig. 2 represents a plan or top view,

and Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation, of a foldingmechanism embodying my improvements as constructed .to impart singletransverse folds to the paper. Figs. 4, 5o 5, and 6 illustrate detailsof the rotating carobviously be single.

rier, showing particularly the operation of the folddetermining forks,of which latter Fig. 7 shows detail views and Fig. 7 a modification.Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an arrangement of folding mechanism em bodyingmy improvements as constructed to impart two parallel folds to eachsheet. Figs. 10 and 11=show the folder connected with a web'press byfast tapes.

The construction of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 as embodyingthese improvements will first be explained.

A rotating carrier, 30, mounted in a proper framing, is provided with aseries of fold-determinin g forks, 3, that are carried at the ends ofrock-arms 13, which are mounted fast upon a rock-shaft, 2. Thisrock-shaft is journaled in the heads of said carrier at such points thatthe forks may protrude from and be withdrawn into a recess in theperiphery of the carrier as the rock-arms are vibrated by the movementsof the said rock-shaft, which are imparted at proper times during eachrotation of the carrier 30 by means of a rock-arm, 14, which therock-shaft carries at one end, and a cam, 31, fixed to one side frame.This cam might be a slotted camimparting the movements in bothdirections to the rock-arm 14, or, as shown, it may be a face-camthrowing the rock-arm in one direction, its contrary movement being ac-8o complished by means of an arm, 32, and a spring-seated rod, 33, inlike'manner as the gripers of cylinder printing-machines are commonlyoperated.

The fold-determining forks are each made double, as shown in Fig. 7,though they might Whether double or single, they are preferably providedwith a stud,

5, whereby they are pivoted in the ends of their rock-arms l3, and eachhave tail pieces depending from them, which tail-pieces are providedwith a projection, 6, a shoulder, 7, and

a cam-face, 8.

A spring,-15, fast to the rock-arms 13, bears upon theprojection 6, andthus forces the fork 5 into its most extended position with reference tosaid arm, as in Figs. 3 and 6, the shoulder 7 then seating itself upon asuitable stop provided upon the rock-arm, which position of the fork isthat assumed when it is being protruded 10o through the opening in thecarrier and caused to pierce the paper, as in Fig. 4. When, however,said fork has passed through the paper the cam-face 8 of its tail-piecewill engage the surface 9 of the shell of the carrier at the rear sideof its opening, and in consequence ofthe continued outward movement ofthe fork this cam-surface will cause the tail-piece to so rock as tomove said fork down onto the periphery of the carrier, thus impingingupon the paper and clamping it upon the surface of the carrier, as inFig. 5. The forks having completed their movements through and onto thepaper, which is accomplished while the rock-arm 14 is passing over therise 10 of the cam 31, will then remain stationary in that positionuntil the face 11 of thecam is reached, passing down which the reversemovement will be accomplished and the forks withdrawn to release thepaper.

A-doubling-bar, 16, fixed in brackets 35 36, extends across the machineand stands in close proximity to the periphery of the carrier at asuitable point to aid the fold-determining forks in doubling the paper.

The carrier 30 is furnished with steel conducting-tapes 20 21, theformer running from a roller, 22, and partially around the carrier,while the latter runs from aroller, 23, in contact with a portion of thesurface'of said carrier and returns over a sheet-sustaining cylinder,24. A third setof tapes, 25, runs from a roller, 26, in contact with aportion of the pe riphery of the carrier and returns over apressing-roller, 27. This roller 27 carries a pinion, 2S, and thecylinder 24 a pinion, 29, by which they aredriven from a toothed wheel,34, that is fast on the shaft of the carrier 30, whereby a uniformmotion is given to all the rollers and tapes. J v

The paper in the form of sheets may be fed from a table to the carrier30 in like manner as a cylinder printing-machine is fed, whereupon thesame will be conducted by the tapes 2U 21 and properly operated upon;but in practice this folding-machine will be connected with a webperfecting printing-machine in which a web of paperis printeduponopposite sides and cut into proper-sized sheets, this folding-machinebeing driven in proper time from the printingliiachine by means ofgearing that connects the shaft of the carrier 30 with one of therotating shafts of the printingmachine. If the tapes 20 21 are used,they will then be exten (led and caused to run around pulleys or rollersset just in rear of the cuttin g-cylinders of the printing-machine, sothat the sheets emerging from said cutting-cylinders will be properlyconveyed to the carrier 30, all of which is fully illustrated in Figs.10 and 11.

When the machine is in operation a sheet carried onto the cylinder 31)in proper time will be held thereon by the tapes 21 and carried betweenthe surface of the carrier 30 and that of the sustaining-cylinder 24,the center of said sheet, or that point of it where the fold is to bemade, overlying the fold-determining forks 3.

During that partof the rotation of the carrier 30 when the rock-arm 14of said forks is traversing the low part of the cam 31 said forks willbe retained within the opening in the carrier but when the sheet ofpaper has so far passed between the carrier and cylinder 24 that thatportion of it where the fold is to be made is passing between saidcarrier and cylinder, the rock-arm 14 will have reached the rise 10 inthe cam 31,'in passing up which the fork-carrying rock-arms 13 will berocked rearward, thereby moving the forks outward and causing them topierce the sheet while it is sustained by the cylinder 24, said forks atthat time, while extended by the spring 15, passing into recesses 1provided in said cylinder for their reception. (See Fig. 2.) So soon asthe forks have passed through the sheet their cam-faces 8 impingeagainst the surface 9 and cause said forks to draw down onto the sheetwhile completing their rearward movement, by which operation they bearupon the sheet and clamp the same onto the surface of the carrier. Theleading portion of the sheet having been allowed to droop down frombetween the carrier and cylinder 24, and the folding-line of said sheetnow being securely held by the forks, it follows that as the carriercontinues its rotation said leadin g end will continue to movedownwardly, and

, that portion of the sheet clamped by the forks will be held on andcompelled to move with the carrier. It will thus be carried between thesurface of the carrier and the face of the doubling-bar 16, as in Fig.5, and as it passes the latter it will draw the leading end of the sheetafter it, and thus double the sheet along the line held by the forks,and thus lay the two parts or front and rear portions of the sheettogether, whereby the doubling or folding of said sheet will beaccomplished.

As the head of the folded sheet passes beyond the doubling-bar 16 itenters between the tapes 25 and the surface of the carrier, and willthus be held onto said carrier so as to move onward with it. When thesheet reaches this point the rock-arm 14 will pass down the face 11 ofthe cam 31, and the forks will thereby be withdrawn from the paper andinto the opening in the carrier,'as in Fig. 6. The folded sheet thenfreed from the forks will be carried onward by the tapes 25, and,passing between the pressing-roller 27 and the carrier, will have itsfold pressed flat, and said sheet will be stripped from the carrier bythe tapes 20, and, passing over the roller 27, will be delivered fromthe machine. From this roller the folded sheet may be deposited upon apiling-table, or be disposed of by any of the well-known deliveryapparatuses; or it may be conveyed'to a folding mechanism of this or anyof the well known constructions, and receive one or more additionalfolds at right angles or parallel to its first fold, as may be desired.

One mode of connecting this folding-machine with a web-press is shown inFigs. 8 and 9, which also show a duplication of the folding mechanismswith such auxiliary devices as are requisite in imparting two parallelfolds to the same sheet while it is passing once through the machine.

The carrier 30 is constructed to act as one of the cutting-cylinders ofthe web-perfectin g printing-machine, and is so related to the companioncutting-cylinder 37 and the last impression-cylinder I of suchprinting-machine as to receive the web from said impressioncylinder andconduct it between itself and the cutting-cylinder 37 without theintervention of tapes.

The cuttingcylinder 37 is furnished with a series of holding-pins, 40,that are arranged toreciprocate in sockets formed in the cylinder-shell,being thus protruded at proper times just in the rear of thecutting-blade, so as to impale and hold the detached leading end of theweb of paper. These pins are pivoted to rock-arms 41, that extend from arock-shaft, 42, journaled in the heads of the cylinder and provided withan actuating-arm, 43, that rides upon the surface of a cam, 45, that isfast to the framing.

The carrier 30 is furnished with a cuttingslot, 47, with which the blade46 cooperates in severing the paper web, and it is provided withfold-determinin g forks 3, that are carried by arms 13 on a rook-shaft,2, that is actuated by an arm, as 14, and a cam, as 31, (as thereference-characters in part indicate,) which forks 3 are constructedand operate as hereinafter described with reference to thesingle-iold-producing mechanism, said forks, in this instance,co-operating in aiding the production of the first fold with thecutting-cylinder 37 as their sheet-sustaining cylinder, which latter ispro vided with circumferential grooves 17 for that purpose. This carrier30 is further recessed ata proper distance rearwardly from the recessoccupied bythe forks 3 with a series of forks, 4, which are constructedand operate with the grooved sheet-sustaining cylinder 24 in aiding theproduction of the second fold in precisely the same manner as do theforks 3 in the sin gle-foldin g machine, being, like them, spring-seatedand constructed to swing in arms 13 that project from a rock-shaft, as2, which rock-shaft has a rock-arm, as 14, that rides upon a cam, as 31,said cam 31 being fixed to the frame opposite to that end of the carrier30 where the cam 31 is placed, and these forks 4 are provided withtail-pieces having a projection, 6, a shoulder, 7, a cam-face,

8, and a spring, 15, constructed and operating as do those parts of theforks 3.

Thecarrier 30 is provided with a set of tapes, 48, that run over thecylinder 24, pass a short distance in contact with the carrier, and arethen led 01f under a roller, 50, said tapes extending outwardly, beingreturned over suitable pulleys or rollers. A set of tapes, 49, run overa roller, 52, pass a short distance in contact with the carrier, and arethen led off under a roller, 51, and returned over suitable pulleys or aroller, said tapes extending outwardly so as to run parallel with thetapes 4S, and with them to form a delivery-channel for once-foldedsheets. A third set of tapes, 53, run over a roller; 54, under theroller 51 and return over suitable pulleys ora roller, said tapesextending outwardly so as to run parallel with the tapes 49, and withthem form a second delivery-channel for twice-folded sheets.

The cylinder 24 and rollers 50,,52, and 51 will be geared with anddriven from a toothed wheel on the carrier 30, and the roller 54 will besimilarly driven from the wheel on the roller 51, by which arrangementall the tapes will be positively driven at appropriate speed. A set ofreciprocating guides or bars, 55, the shaft 56 of which runs inappropriate ways, are so located that they may move to and fro betweenthe tapes 48 49 and have their forward ends entered into and temporarilyheld in grooves found in the carrier 30, as in Fig. 9, or be removedtherefrom, as in Fig. 8, the

means for accomplishing which are a connecting-rod, 57, and anappropriately slotted cam, 58, that is fast on the shaft of the carrier30, said rod having a stud entering the grooves of the cam 58.

A set of curved conductors, 59, held by a rod, are placed so that theirends may extend into grooves in the carrier 30 and roller 54 and theirfaces stand coincident with the periphery of the roller 51.

It being understood that the cutting-cylinder 37 and theimpression-cylinder I are provided with toothed wheels, gearing with thetoothed wheel on the carrier 30, and that the remaining complementofprintingcylinders, constituting the principal part of a web-press, aresimilarly geared to the cylinder 1, a printed web passing over saidcylinder I will be operated upon as follows: Said web will come from thecyl inder I and pass between the cylinders 37 30 where the pins 40,which are withdrawn while their rock-arm 43 rides upon the low part ofthe cam 45, engage its surface, and are forced through it as theirrock-arm 43 rides up onto the high part of the cam 45. This impalementis effected just before the cutting-blade 46 operates with the slot 47to sever the web, so

that when the severing is accomplished the leading end of the web willbe held upon the pins and retained thereby upon the cylinder 37, so asto be carried onward with it, as in Fig. 8. As the carrier 30 rotatesand its forks 3 are passing the point of contact between the carrier andthe cylinder 37, said forks are protruded through the paper web andclosed down thereon to clamp the web upon the carrier 30 along the lineof the first fold, and the paper web thus seized and held is thencarried onward toward the cylinder 24, the cam 45 operating the rockarm43 to withdraw the pins 40 and release the leading end of the web at theprecise moment to avoid any buckling or straining of the same. of theweb passes under the cylinder 24 it acts as a doubling-roller,completing the first fold, and also to press the doubled edge thereofand to lay its front and rear portions smoothly together. After the headof the folded paper has entered under the tapes 4S, and before the forks3 pass the roller 50, their rock-arm 14 will have passed down the face11 in the cam 31, thus causing said forks to be withdrawn from thepaper. As the folded sheet is carried onward and its head passes theroller it engages the guides 55, which have been moved forward by meansof the cam 58. and it is thereby intercepted and guided outwardly oversaid guides and between the tapes 48 49, as in Fig. 9.

While the two plies of the folded paper are passing under the cylinder24, and the forks 4reach that point, the rock-arm 14 of said forks isactuated by their cam 31 to protrude them through the two plies of paperand clamp the same down onto the surface of the carrier, whereby saidplies of paper are seized along the line of their second fold andcarried forward.

When the carrier has so far rotated as to bring the cutting-blade andslot again into cooperation the web will be again severed, thusdetaching the forward doubled portion and constituting it a foldedsheet, while the pins 40 have again impaled the leading end of the weband will carry it around with the cylinder 37, as before described.

When the second line of fold passes the guides 55, which have meanwhilebeen moved outwardly by the action of the cam 53, as in Fig. 8, thesheet will be drawn downward and doubled on said folding-line betweenthe carrier and the roller 52, which now acts as a doubling-roller. Asthe sheet is thus folded and its doubled head enters between the tapes49 and the carrier its forward once'doubled end is drawn backward overthe guides 55, and passing over the roller 50 is laid upon the rearwardplies of such sheet. While such twice-folded sheet is passing betweenthe tapes 49 and carrier, and before its doubled head passes the roller51, the rock-arm 14 of the forks 4 rides down the face .of its cam 31and withdraws said forks within the carrier, thus releasing the sheet,which, intercepted by the conductors 59, is stripped from the carrierand directed around the roller 51 and into the nip of the tapes 49 53,by which it is carried out of the machine.

If it is desired to readjust this apparatus so as to impart a singlefold to the sheet, this maybe done by throwing the forks 4 out ofoperation, so that they will remain within the periphery of the carrier,and by adjusting the devices actuating the guides 55 so that they willstand in the position shown in Fig. 9. The once-folded sheet will thenbe carried out by the tapes 4S and guides 55, and may, as well as thetwice-folded sheets conducted by the tapes 49 53, be conveyed to anordinary a suitable pulley or roller.

' As the folding'line i delivery apparatus or to folding mechanisms,

as has been described with reference to the machine shown in Figs. 1 to7; but if a machine is to have this adjustment to deliver sheets oncefolded, a set of auxiliary tapes running in the same direction as thetapes 48 will be mounted under them so as to receive the sheets from theguides 55, the tapes 49 being lowered out of the plane in which suchtapes will travel.

Another mode of arranging this folding mechanism in connection with aweb-printing machine is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. Thecutting-cylinders 63 64 there shown represent the web-severing mechanismcommon in such printing machines, from which cylinders the severed orpartially-severed web is conducted to the cylinder or carrier 30 and itsmechanisms by means of fast tapes 18 19, that are arranged as follows:The upper set run from a roller, 61, over the sheet-sustaining cylinder38, under the cylinder 30, and pass off over a pressing-cylinder, 44, tothe sheet-delivering apparatus, from whence they return over a roller tothe roller 61. The lower set run from a roller, 62, and return aroundthe cylinder 38. A third set of tapes, 60, run from the cylinder 44 tothe delivery apparatus, and are returned over The tapes 18 19 areslightly separated near the rollers 61 (i2, and of course press togetheras they pass over the cylinder 38; and as these tapes move independentlyof the cutting-cylinders 63 64, and are given the speed of thecyiinder'30, (their driver,) they will, since the cylinder 30 is ofgreater size than the cylinders 63 64, be caused to move at a higherrelative speed than the latter, and thus accelerate the movement of thepaper and detach sheet from sheet and provide a working space betweensuccessive sheets. The tapes run parallel with the extended portion ofthe tapes 13 and at alike speed; but these tapes 18 might return overthe cylinder 30 and their extended portion have substituted for it anindependent set of tapes working with the tapes 60.

The fold-determining forks supported by the cylinder 30 and theiroperating mechanisms do not differ from those already described, as willbe readily apparent; but a different arrangement of co-operating devicesis shown. Thus the forks aiding the production of the first fold coactwith the sheet-sustaining cylinder 38 in piercing the paper, and withthe cylinder 39 in doubling, laying, or pressing the sheet, while theforks aiding the production of the second fold coact with the cylinder39 (which then acts as a sheet-sustaining cylinder) in piercing thepaper, and with the pressing-cylinder 44 in doubling, laying, orpressing the sheet, the latter cylinder also acting as a means fordirecting the sheet toward the delivering apparatus. These cylinders 39and 44 are here shown as springseated; and it is apparent that 'thecylinders and rollers 3:5, 23, 24, 27, 50, 52, and 51 might be similarlymounted.

IIO

52 in Figs. 8 and 9 and the cylinders 39 44- in Figs. 10 and 11, inwhich case the tapes might run over said roller.

The fold-determining forks might have substituted for them pointed flatchisels, as Fig.

7, and in either form these fold-determining forks 3 mightprojectrigidly from their arms 13, and be so shaped as to pierce thepaper and then clamp it down upon the surface of the carrier; but thepivoted form of them is the best and more effective form ofconstruction.

The fold determining forks or the thin pointed flat chisels may beplaced near enough together as to so far perforate the sheet upon itsline of folding that that folded line, when it becomes the head of thefolded paper, may be readily separated to form detached leaves.

The function of the sheet-supporting cylinders might" be accomplished bytapes.

. What is claimed is- 1. The combination, witha rotating carrier overthe surface of which the paper is carried, of fold-determining forkswhich are protruded beyond the surface of the carrier to pierce and holdthepaper, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rotating carrier and the fold-determinin gforks, of a papersustaining cylinder coacting therewith, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, with the rotating carrier and fold-determiningforks, of a doubling bar or roller, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the rotating carrier and fold-determiningforks, of the doubling bar or roller and a pressing-roller,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the rotating carrier and fold-determiningforks, of the tapes 20, 21, and 25, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the rotating carrier, of the rock-arms, as 13,and the fold-determining forks, as 3, pivoted therein, sub- 5 stantiallyas described.

7. Thecombination, with the rotating carrier and its surface 9, of therock-arms, as 13, the pivoted spring-seated folddetermining forks, as 3,and their cam-face 8 and shoulder 7, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the rotating carrier having two sets offold-determining forks,

of the reciprocating guides or bars, substantially as described. I

9. The combination, with the carrier 30, its two sets offold-determining forks, cylinders 37 24., reciprocating guides or bars55, and the cutting mechanism, substantially as described.

10. The com binat-ion, with the carrier 30, its two sets offold-determining forks, cylinders 37 24, reciprocating guides or bars55, cutters 46 4:7, tapes 48 49 53, their carrying-rollers, and theconductors 59, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with a rotating carrier, of fold-determinin g forksor chisels which are moved to pierce and clamp the paper at the line offold, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SPALOKHAVER.

Witnesses CHAS. W. CARPENTER, O. M. HUNTER.

